This is something I've worked on for years, with mainly a large break in between the time I started on this up to now. I always loved the monstrous races and lineage, I've always felt that they open up so many doors for great roleplay and interesting lore that can be created for players and DMs alike. Tasha's Cauldron had came out with the lineages and from there I fell down a bit of a rabbit hole of "what if's" and I finally settle on an idea. What if there was a race or lineage that allows you to technically play as an Oni?
So, I did a bit of research on the Dnd version of the Oni and the historical version of the Oni. I ended up learning alot about both of them but because of my research I decided to mix the two together for the purposes of "rule of cool." I'm going to be honest the only thing I kept from the DND version of Oni is that they can hide themselves magically very well and the fact that they speak Giant. The little information we do have on Oni is a bit disappointing in my opinion however it did give me just enough to make them a tad more interesting.
Oni in Dnd are not only described as Demonic Ogre but are also distant relatives to Giant-kind as well through ogres.....somehow (Still trying to figure that one out in the Giant-kin family tree but hey, when in Rome.). They are also seemed to share similar tactics as Night Hag, and by that, I mean that both creatures will hide among towns people and hand picking a target to attack, abduct, or whatever they decide to do (Oni not being nearly as powerful and terrifying as the hag though.). Lastly, the Oni are basically henchmen to more powerful creatures, dark wizards, yada yada yada in exchange for a nice place to stay, magic items, and whatever.
Now here goes my spin on the Dnd Oni for the sake of my homebrew lineage:
Legend has it that the Oni is a malevolent creature lurking among the weak, concealing its hunger and power with cunning patience. These sinister beings, distant kin to ogres, are masters of dark magic, adept at blending into society while harboring deadly skills in combat. Unlike their gluttonous relatives, Oni are shrewd strategists and skilled spellcasters, rivaled only by hags and powerful wizards. Notorious for their treachery, Oni are known to betray even their closest allies. What sets them apart is their devilish knack for striking deals with desperate souls, offering twisted bargains with dire consequences. Adventurers on the brink of death should beware, as they are prime targets for the deceitful machinations of an Oni, who may have been watching, waiting to seal a deadly contract of dark reincarnation.
With all of that out the way, I dont really want to go into too much detail about the historical Oni, but overall, the ideas surrounding them is that a soul (aramitama) can be turned into a Oni if it has been terribly wronged or insulted in life in some way (at least in shinto myths, which is what I used for this creation). They come in 5 different colors and are seen as antagonist in many Japanese stories. In the end most of the inspiration, even down to the name, came from Japanese folklore with my own spin.
Without much further explanation, I introduce the Yōni-Kai! (Please click the link below) I look forward to hearing any opinions on my homebrew as well and any critiques anyone may have for me.
i would really appreciate the work, if i could look upon it - but sadly the link doesn't work anymore. It's sad, since i'm working on my own world, where oni are a major force in the eastern Jadelands - acting as adversaries to the Jade Empire - and have mingled with mankind, which led to the humanoid-shaped species of Akuma - descendants of oni and humans, aswell as the ancient oni sorcerer-king Shuten-Akuma.
Is there any way to get this species from you, or that you can relink the work, if still approachable? :D
Of course, here is the last update of it I made, so it may not be perfect as far as how it functions on dnd beyond. However if you need me to fix anything just let me know.
This is something I've worked on for years, with mainly a large break in between the time I started on this up to now. I always loved the monstrous races and lineage, I've always felt that they open up so many doors for great roleplay and interesting lore that can be created for players and DMs alike. Tasha's Cauldron had came out with the lineages and from there I fell down a bit of a rabbit hole of "what if's" and I finally settle on an idea. What if there was a race or lineage that allows you to technically play as an Oni?
So, I did a bit of research on the Dnd version of the Oni and the historical version of the Oni. I ended up learning alot about both of them but because of my research I decided to mix the two together for the purposes of "rule of cool." I'm going to be honest the only thing I kept from the DND version of Oni is that they can hide themselves magically very well and the fact that they speak Giant. The little information we do have on Oni is a bit disappointing in my opinion however it did give me just enough to make them a tad more interesting.
Oni in Dnd are not only described as Demonic Ogre but are also distant relatives to Giant-kind as well through ogres.....somehow (Still trying to figure that one out in the Giant-kin family tree but hey, when in Rome.). They are also seemed to share similar tactics as Night Hag, and by that, I mean that both creatures will hide among towns people and hand picking a target to attack, abduct, or whatever they decide to do (Oni not being nearly as powerful and terrifying as the hag though.). Lastly, the Oni are basically henchmen to more powerful creatures, dark wizards, yada yada yada in exchange for a nice place to stay, magic items, and whatever.
Now here goes my spin on the Dnd Oni for the sake of my homebrew lineage:
With all of that out the way, I dont really want to go into too much detail about the historical Oni, but overall, the ideas surrounding them is that a soul (aramitama) can be turned into a Oni if it has been terribly wronged or insulted in life in some way (at least in shinto myths, which is what I used for this creation). They come in 5 different colors and are seen as antagonist in many Japanese stories. In the end most of the inspiration, even down to the name, came from Japanese folklore with my own spin.
Without much further explanation, I introduce the Yōni-Kai! (Please click the link below) I look forward to hearing any opinions on my homebrew as well and any critiques anyone may have for me.
The Yōni-Kai Lineage (BOD) Race for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) Fifth Edition (5e) - D&D Beyond (dndbeyond.com)
i would really appreciate the work, if i could look upon it - but sadly the link doesn't work anymore. It's sad, since i'm working on my own world, where oni are a major force in the eastern Jadelands - acting as adversaries to the Jade Empire - and have mingled with mankind, which led to the humanoid-shaped species of Akuma - descendants of oni and humans, aswell as the ancient oni sorcerer-king Shuten-Akuma.
Is there any way to get this species from you, or that you can relink the work, if still approachable? :D
Of course, here is the last update of it I made, so it may not be perfect as far as how it functions on dnd beyond. However if you need me to fix anything just let me know.
https://www.dndbeyond.com/species/1607153-yoni-kai-lineage-bod